Vacuum cleaner and a suction brush assembly thereof

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner having an upper casing, a lower casing, and an extension pipe connector, and a brush assembly for the vacuum cleaner. The brush assembly comprises a casing constructing a body of the brush assembly, an extension pipe connector connected to the casing, and a locking unit for releasably connecting the casing and the extension pipe connector to each other. The locking unit omits at least one bolt connector, thereby simplifying the structure and assembly procedure, and fewer parts are used in accordance with the invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a suction brush assembly fora vacuum cleaner and more particularly, to a suction brush assemblyimproved in an assembly structure between an extension pipe connectorand a casing, and a vacuum cleaner using the same.

2. Description of the Background Art

Generally, a brush assembly of a conventional vacuum cleaner comprisesan upper casing, a lower casing, and an extension pipe connector. Theupper and the lower casings are assembled to each other, and one of thecasings is connected to the extension pipe connector. The extension pipeconnector is connected to an extension pipe connected to a main body ofthe vacuum cleaner, so that air can flow to the main body.

The upper and the lower casings are respectively provided with afastening hole for engagement with a bolt. The fastening holes areformed at appropriate locations in the upper and the lower casings sothat they correspond to each other when the casings are assembled into acasing assembly, and the casings are securely engaged by the bolt,thereby assembling the casings to provide a unitary housing. That is, byinserting the bolt through the fastening holes, the upper and the lowercasings are assembled into the casing assembly.

A bolt is usually used in attaching the extension pipe connector to theupper or the lower casing in the conventional vacuum cleaner. One of theupper and the lower casings has a fastening hole for connection with theextension pipe connector, and the extension pipe connector also has acorresponding fastening hole. By passing the bolt through the fasteningholes, the extension pipe connector is connected to one of the casings.

Thereafter, in the manufacturing process of the conventional vacuumcleaner, after one of the upper and the lower casings is fastened to theextension pipe connector by the bolt passing through the fastening hole,the upper and the lower casings are assembled to each other by a bolt.

According to the above assembly procedure and resulting structure, theupper and the lower casings, and the extension pipe connector do notseparate from each other when the brush assembly experiences an impact.However, the bolt fastening structure requires a complicatedmanufacturing process, and also requires unnecessary use of extramaterials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to solve at least the aboveproblems and disadvantages and to provide at least the advantagesdescribed below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is toprovide a brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner having an improvedstructure in the connection of upper and lower casings to the extensionpipe connector, and a vacuum cleaner including such a connection.

In order to achieve the an above-described aspect of the presentinvention, there is provided a brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner,comprising a casing assembly including an upper casing and a lowercasing, an extension pipe connector connected at a rear of the casingassembly, and a locking unit formed on the casing assembly and on theextension pipe connector to releasably connect the casing assembly tothe extension pipe connector.

The locking unit comprises a locking rib formed on at least one of thelower or upper casing or on the extension pipe connector, and a ribreceiving space formed on at least the other of the lower or uppercasing or the extension pipe connector.

The locking rib is formed on the extension pipe connector, and the ribreceiving space is formed on the lower or upper casing.

The rib receiving space has a locking projection therein, and thelocking rib has a locking groove for receiving the locking projection,and the locking projection engages the locking groove by the insertionof the locking rib in the rib receiving space.

The locking rib extends as a flange on both sides of the extension pipeconnector, and the rib receiving space is formed in each side of theupper casing.

The brush assembly further comprises a hook formed on a front of one ofthe upper casing or on the lower casing, and a hook recess is formed onthe other one of the upper casing or the lower casing for engagementwith the hook.

The upper and the lower casings respectively comprise at least onefastening boss at disposed at a rear portion of the casing assembly.

In order to achieve the another aspect of the present invention, thereis provided a vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner body having a suctionforce generating part, an extension pipe for directing dust and airtoward the cleaner body, an extension pipe connector connected to theextension pipe, a casing assembly connected to the extension pipe fordrawing in dust on a surface: being cleaned, and a locking unit formedon the casing assembly and on the extension pipe connector to releasablyconnect the casing assembly and the extension pipe connector to eachother.

The locking unit comprises a locking rib formed on at least one of thecasing assembly or the extension pipe connector, and a rib receivingspace formed in at least the other one of the casing assembly or theextension pipe connector.

The locking rib is formed preferably on the extension pipe connector,and the rib receiving space is formed preferably in the casing assembly.

The rib receiving space has a locking projection therein, and thelocking rib has a locking groove for receiving the locking projection,and the locking projection engages the locking groove by the insertionof the locking rib into the rib receiving space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The above aspect and other features of the present invention will becomemore apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof withreference to the attached drawing figures, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a brush assembly of the vacuumcleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an upper casing of the brushassembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the upper casing of the brushassembly ready for engagement with an extension pipe connector accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the brush assembly shown in FIG. 1the cross-section being taken approximately along section line 5A-5A;and

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing a detailed portion A of FIG.5A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing figures.

Referring to FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment ofthe present invention comprises a cleaner body 10, a suction hose 12shown in broken lines, a handle unit 16, an extension pipe 14, and abrush assembly 100. The cleaner body 10 houses therein a motor (notshown) that generates a driving force to provide suction for the vacuumcleaner. The suction hose 12 is connected to the cleaner body 10 toguide air drawn into the brush assembly 100, together with entraineddust and dirt, toward the cleaner body 10. The handle unit 16 comprisesvarious operation buttons (not shown), and is connected at one end tothe suction hose 12, as shown. The extension pipe 14 is connected to theother end of the handle unit 16. The brush assembly 100 is connected toan end of the extension pipe 14 opposite that of the connection to thehandle 16, and the bottom of the brush assembly 100 contacts a surfacebeing cleaned to draw in dust therefrom.

Referring to FIG. 2, the brush assembly 100 further comprises a casing110, an extension pipe connector 200 engaged with the casing 110, and alocking unit 300 for securely connecting the casing 110 and theextension pipe connector 200.

The casing 110 is divided into an upper casing 120 and a lower casing140.

The lower casing 140 includes a suction port 142, at least one secondfastening boss 144, a hook 148, a turbine assembly 152, and a rotatingbrush 154. The suction port 142, is formed on a bottom of the lowercasing 140 to penetrate through the bottom wall thereof, and enables thesuction handle 100 to draw in dust on the surface being cleaned.

Each second fastening boss 144 is formed on the lower casing 140 tocorrespond to a first fastening boss 124 (FIG. 3) disposed on the uppercasing 120. Either each first boss 124 (FIG. 3) or each second boss 144has therein a screw thread configured to receive a fastening member 146,such as a bolt.

A bolt is preferably employed for the fastening member 146 which isinserted through the first boss 124 (FIG. 3) and is screwed into screwthread of the second boss 144 to assemble the upper and the lowercasings 120 and 140 together, thereby providing a unitary housing.

The hook 148 is formed on a front end of the lower casing 140 tocorrespond to a hook recess 128 formed on the upper casing 120. The hook148 and the hook recess 128 are engaged with each other, therebyattaching the front ends of the upper and the lower casings 120 and 140to each other.

The turbine assembly 152 preferably is formed at a rear portion of thelower casing 140, and rotates by a vacuum suction force generated by themotor (not shown) located in the cleaner body 10 (FIG. 1). Blade 153disposed around the turbine assembly 152 rotate by the momentum of thedrawn-in air, and accordingly, the assembly 152 rotates around an axle,as shown.

The rotating brush 154 is rotatably mounted on its own axle at a frontportion of the lower casing 140, and has a plurality of bristle tufts155 planted thereon. The rotating brush 154 is connected to the turbineassembly 152 by a belt (not shown) and is enabled to rotatecorrespondingly to rotation of the turbine assembly 152, therebyagitating any dust embedded on the surface being cleaned.

An upper casing frame 136 and a lower casing frame 156 (FIG. 2) providean additional enclosure to the upper and the lower casings 120 and 140,respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the upper casing 120 includes hook recess 128at the front for hook engagement with the lower casing 140 (FIG. 2), andat least one first fastening boss 124 for engagement with the lowercasing 140 by the fastening member 146 (FIG. 2). The upper casing 120comprises a longitudinal partition 125 and a lateral partition 126,which are attached to a projection plate 304 preferably disposed atlateral sides of the upper casing 120, so as to reinforce the integralstrength of the upper casing 120. At least one hook recess 128 isprovided on the front of the upper casing 120. The hook recess 128 maybe integrally formed with the upper casing 120 along a front edge andside edges of the upper casing 120. Each first fastening boss 124 isdisposed at a rear portion of the upper casing 120, and is fastened tothe corresponding second fastening boss 144 (FIG. 2) by the fasteningmember 146 (FIG. 2), such as a bolt, so that the upper and the lowercasings 120 and 140 (FIG. 2) are connected to each other. The number offirst and the second fastening bosses 124 and 144 (FIG. 2) isrespectively at least one each, but it is not so limited. The hookrecess 128 may be formed in the lower casing 140 (FIG. 2) and the hook148 may be disposed at the upper casing 120, as an alternativeconfiguration.

FIG. 4 shows the connection structure between the upper casing 120 andthe extension pipe connector 200. As shown by dashed arrows, theextension pipe connector 200 is assembled with the upper casing 120 bysliding the extension pipe into the upper casing. Locking ribs 314,flanged on both sides of a front portion of the extension pipe connector200, are inserted in to a rib receiving space 302 (shown in more detailin FIGS. 5A and 5B) formed in the upper casing 120, which will bedescribed below. To facilitate the insertion, the locking rib 314 has alocking groove 318 for engagement with a corresponding lockingprojection 308 formed on the rib receiving space 302. Accordingly,assembly is effected by sliding the extension pipe connector 200 intothe upper casing 120 so that locking projections 308 engage the grooves318.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the locking unit 300, shown in detailedcross-section, comprises a rib receiving space 302, a projection plate304, a locking projection 308, a locking rib 314, and a locking groove318.

The rib receiving space 302 is defined in the upper casing 120 and isconfigured to receive the locking rib 314. The rib receiving space 302is defined by a projection 304 defining a bottom wall, an inner surface306 of the upper casing 120 defining a ceiling, the longitudinalpartition 125 (FIG. 3) defining a sidewall, and the lateral partition126 (FIG. 3) defining a front. The side opposite to the longitudinalpartition 125 is open, and a rear of the rib receiving space 302 is alsoopen so as to receive the locking rib 314.

Each projection plate 304 is substantially curved to enable smoothinsertion of the locking rib 314 into the upper casing 120. One end ofeach projection plate 304 is integral with or connected to thecorresponding longitudinal partition 125 (FIG. 3), and one side of eachprojection plate 304 is connected to the corresponding lateral partition126 (FIG. 3). A part of the other end of each projection plate 304 isconnected to the respective first fastening boss 124.

The locking projection 308 disposed on the projection plate 304 isconfigured for engagement with the locking groove 318. The lockingprojection 308 is preferably rounded to ease the engagement with theprojection groove 318. However, the configuration is not so limited. Inaddition, the locking projection 308 may be interchangeably formed onthe upper casing 120, which defines the ceiling of the rib receivingspace 302.

The locking rib 314 is preferably provided at both sides of the frontend of the extension pipe connector 200 and is configured to engage thecurved projection plate 304 by a circular movement when being inserted.The locking groove 318 is depressed on the locking rib 314 to correspondin shape therewith and the location for engagement corresponds with theposition of the locking projection 308 to provide a mating relationship.In an alternative arrangement (not shown), the locking groove 318 may beconfigured by a hole penetrating through the locking rib 314.

Although the brush assembly 100 has been described above for use in aturbine brush having a rotating brush 154 which operates in associationwith the turbine assembly 152 rotating as a result of the suction forcegenerated by the motor in the cleaner body 10, the present invention isnot limited to the turbine brush only, but may be applicable to othergeneral brush assemblies as well.

Hereinbelow, the assembly structure of the brush assembly 100 for avacuum cleaner, according to an embodiment of the present invention,will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5B in greater detail.

The brush assembly 100 according to the embodiment of the presentinvention comprises the upper and lower casings 120 and 140,respectively, which are releasably assembled with each other, as shownin FIG. 2. The turbine assembly 152 is mounted between the upper and thelower casings 120 and 140. The turbine assembly 152 rotates as a resultof the vacuum suction force generated by a suction force generating partand is mounted at a rear portion of the lower casing 140. The rotatingbrush 154 is connected to the turbine assembly 152 by a belt (not shown)and is disposed at a front portion of the lower casing 140.

In the construction of the brush assembly 100, the extension pipeconnector 200 is connected to the upper casing 120 by inserting ittherein to, as shown in FIG. 4. The locking ribs 314, flanged on bothsides of the extension pipe connector 200, are inserted into the ribreceiving space 302 at either side of the upper casing 120. In theinsertion process, the locking projection 308 formed on the projectionplate 304 and forming the bottom of the rib receiving space 302 engagesthe locking groove 318 of the locking rib 314, thereby releasablyconnecting the upper casing 120 and the extension pipe connector 200.The projection plate 304 is connected to the extension pipe connector200 by insertion using a circular movement, required by its curvedshape. Accordingly, the upper casing 120 and the extension pipeconnector 200 can be releasably connected to each other easily, comparedto using a complicated bolt-fastening structure according to aconventional method. Therefore, the assembly procedure is simplified,and the number of parts requiring assembly can be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 5A, after the connection of the upper casing 120 andthe extension pipe connector 200, the upper and the lower casings 120and 140 are assembled by the hook recess 128 formed at the front of theupper casing 120 and the corresponding hook 148 formed at the front ofthe lower casing 140. The hook recess 128 and the hook 148 may beinterchanged in position, and the number of the hook recess 128 and thehook 148 is preferably at least one, but may use a plurality thereof.The hook recess 128 and the hook 148 may be integrally formed with theframes 136 and 156 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5A) of the upper and thelower casings 120 and 140, respectively. Also, in an alternativearrangement the upper casing 120 may have both a hook recess 128 and ahook 148 on its frame 136 while the lower casing 140 has a correspondinghook 148 and hook recess 128 on its frame 156.

After assembling the casings 120 and 140 by attaching the hook 148 andhook recess 128 as described above, the upper and the lower casings 120and 140 are fastened through the first and the second fastening bosses124 and 144, using a fastening member 146, such as a bolt, as shown inFIG. 5A.

As can be appreciated from the above description of the brush assemblyof a vacuum cleaner, by engaging one side of the upper and the lowercasings with the extension pipe connector by using the locking unitrather than a bolt, the assembly procedure is simplified, and the numberof parts can be reduced. Furthermore, by using the simplified assemblyprocedure, the casings and the extension pipe connector are not easilyseparated from each other when the brush assembly experiences an impact.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that various changes in form and details may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

1. A brush assembly for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a casing assemblyincluding an upper casing and a lower casing; an extension pipeconnector connected at a rear of the casing assembly; and a locking unitformed on the casing assembly and the extension pipe connector toreleasably connect the casing assembly to the extension pipe connector.2. The brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking unit furthercomprises: a locking rib formed on at least one of the lower or uppercasing or the extension pipe connector; and a rib receiving space formedin at least the other one of the lower or upper casing or on theextension pipe connector.
 3. The brush assembly of claim 2, wherein thelocking rib is formed on the extension pipe connector, and the ribreceiving space is formed in the upper or lower casing.
 4. The brushassembly of claim 3, wherein a locking projection is formed in the ribreceiving space, and the locking rib has a locking groove for receivingthe locking projection, and the locking projection engages the lockinggroove by the insertion of the locking rib in the rib receiving space.5. The brush assembly of claim 3, wherein the locking rib extends as aflange on both sides of the extension pipe connector, and the ribreceiving space is formed in each side of the upper casing.
 6. The brushassembly of claim 1, further comprising: a hook is formed on a front ofone of the upper casing or the lower casing; and a hook recess is formedon the other one of the upper casing or the lower casing for engagementwith the hook.
 7. The brush assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper andthe lower casings respectively comprise at least one fastening bossdisposed at a rear portion of the casing assembly.
 8. A vacuum cleanercomprising: a cleaner body having a suction force generating part; anextension pipe for directing dust and air toward the cleaner body; anextension pipe connector connected to the extension pipe; a casingassembly connected to the extension pipe for drawing in dust on asurface being cleaned; and a locking unit formed on the casing assemblyand the extension pipe connector to releasably connect the casingassembly and the extension pipe connector to each other.
 9. The vacuumcleaner of claim 8, wherein the locking unit further comprises: alocking rib formed on at least one of the casing assembly or theextension pipe connector; and a rib receiving space formed in at leastthe other one of the casing assembly or the extension pipe connector.10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the locking rib is formed onthe extension pipe connector, and the rib receiving space is formed inthe casing assembly.
 11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the ribreceiving space has a locking projection therein and the locking rib hasa locking groove for receiving the locking projection, and the lockingprojection engages the locking groove by the insertion of the lockingrib into the rib receiving space.